An Introduction to Physical Science
14th Edition
ISBN: 9781305079120
Author: James Shipman, Jerry D. Wilson, Charles A. Higgins, Omar Torres
Publisher: Brooks Cole
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Chapter 16, Problem 8SA
To determine
Whether the Earth is a perfect sphere or not. Explain the reason for the same.
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The earth is approximately spherical, but a much more accurate description is that an oblate spheroid. How will you describe an oblate spheroid?
BACKGROUND
An ingenious solution to the Earth's circumference occured in 230 BC. Eratosthenes, a Greek
geographer, mathematician, music theorist, poet, astronomer, and philosopher, was reading in the
Library of Alexandria when he noticed an account for a deep well near Syene (now Aswan),
some distance to the south (800 km) in which at high noon on the longest day of the year the
bottom of the well was fully illuminated by the Sun. Eratosthenes exclaimed "Ah-ah!" (or
something like that), "I can solve for the circumference of the Earth!". In his mind's eye,
Eratosthenes could see that at Syene, at the moment when the bottom of the well was fully lit, the
Sun must have been at the Zenith (directly overhead). Yet he knew that at the same moment in
Alexandria vertical objects (like a tower, pole) cast shadows.
Here is the experiment perfomed by Eratosthenes (see the picture below).
• He erected a vertical pole at Alexandria (A) and measured the angle of its shadow at the
moment when the…
9
Chapter 16 Solutions
An Introduction to Physical Science
Ch. 16.1 - What is the difference between the geocentric...Ch. 16.1 - Prob. 2PQCh. 16.1 - Calculate the period of a planet whose orbit has a...Ch. 16.2 - Prob. 1PQCh. 16.2 - Prob. 2PQCh. 16.3 - Which has the greater albedo, the Earth or the...Ch. 16.3 - Prob. 2PQCh. 16.4 - What makes a planet terrestrial, or pertaining to...Ch. 16.4 - What is the most abundant molecule in the...Ch. 16.5 - Prob. 1PQ
Ch. 16.5 - Prob. 2PQCh. 16.6 - Prob. 1PQCh. 16.6 - Prob. 2PQCh. 16.7 - Prob. 1PQCh. 16.7 - Prob. 2PQCh. 16.8 - Prob. 1PQCh. 16.8 - Prob. 2PQCh. 16 - Prob. AMCh. 16 - Prob. BMCh. 16 - Prob. CMCh. 16 - Prob. DMCh. 16 - Prob. EMCh. 16 - Prob. FMCh. 16 - Prob. GMCh. 16 - Prob. HMCh. 16 - Prob. IMCh. 16 - Prob. JMCh. 16 - Prob. KMCh. 16 - Prob. LMCh. 16 - Prob. MMCh. 16 - Prob. NMCh. 16 - Prob. OMCh. 16 - Prob. PMCh. 16 - Prob. QMCh. 16 - Prob. RMCh. 16 - Prob. SMCh. 16 - Prob. TMCh. 16 - Prob. UMCh. 16 - Prob. VMCh. 16 - Prob. WMCh. 16 - Prob. XMCh. 16 - Prob. 1MCCh. 16 - Which of Keplers laws gives the most direct...Ch. 16 - Which of Keplers laws gives an indication of the...Ch. 16 - Prob. 4MCCh. 16 - Which of the following is abundant on the Earth...Ch. 16 - Prob. 6MCCh. 16 - Prob. 7MCCh. 16 - Which of the following statements concerning the...Ch. 16 - Which of the following is not a physical...Ch. 16 - What are the primary constituents of the Jovian...Ch. 16 - Which of the following is not a physical...Ch. 16 - Which planet has a ring system made of mostly...Ch. 16 - Which Jovian planet revolves on its side and has...Ch. 16 - Which one of the following criteria disqualifies...Ch. 16 - Which statement about the dwarf planet Ceres is...Ch. 16 - Prob. 16MCCh. 16 - Prob. 17MCCh. 16 - Which of the following is not a very useful method...Ch. 16 - ___ is the study of the universe. (Intro)Ch. 16 - Prob. 2FIBCh. 16 - Prob. 3FIBCh. 16 - Prob. 4FIBCh. 16 - Prob. 5FIBCh. 16 - Prob. 6FIBCh. 16 - Prob. 7FIBCh. 16 - The albedo of the Earth is about ___. (16.3)Ch. 16 - Prob. 9FIBCh. 16 - Prob. 10FIBCh. 16 - Prob. 11FIBCh. 16 - Prob. 12FIBCh. 16 - The Jovian planet with retrograde rotation is ___....Ch. 16 - Prob. 14FIBCh. 16 - Prob. 15FIBCh. 16 - Prob. 16FIBCh. 16 - Prob. 17FIBCh. 16 - Prob. 1SACh. 16 - What is the main difference between the...Ch. 16 - Prob. 3SACh. 16 - Prob. 4SACh. 16 - Describe the orientation and the shape of the...Ch. 16 - Prob. 6SACh. 16 - Prob. 7SACh. 16 - Prob. 8SACh. 16 - Prob. 9SACh. 16 - Prob. 10SACh. 16 - Prob. 11SACh. 16 - Prob. 12SACh. 16 - Explain the differences between the Grand Canyon...Ch. 16 - Prob. 14SACh. 16 - Prob. 15SACh. 16 - Which planets axis of rotation is a peculiarity,...Ch. 16 - Prob. 17SACh. 16 - Prob. 18SACh. 16 - Why is Pluto not considered a major planet, and...Ch. 16 - Prob. 20SACh. 16 - Prob. 21SACh. 16 - What was the major influence in the formation of...Ch. 16 - What is astrometry?Ch. 16 - Prob. 24SACh. 16 - Prob. 1VCCh. 16 - Give some reasons our knowledge of the solar...Ch. 16 - A Foucault pendulum suspended from the ceiling of...Ch. 16 - Prob. 3AYKCh. 16 - Explain how the scientific method was used to...Ch. 16 - How does the solar nebula theory explain the...Ch. 16 - Calculate the period T of a planet whose orbit has...Ch. 16 - Calculate the period T of a dwarf planet whose...Ch. 16 - Calculate the length R of the semimajor axis of a...Ch. 16 - Calculate the length R of the semimajor axis of a...Ch. 16 - Determine what the period of revolution of the...Ch. 16 - Determine what the period of revolution of the...Ch. 16 - Asteroids are believed to be material that never...Ch. 16 - Show that the asteroid belt lies between Mars and...Ch. 16 - Use Keplers third law to show that the closer a...Ch. 16 - Prob. 10ECh. 16 - Prob. 11ECh. 16 - List the Jovian planets in order of increasing...
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- In a part of Earth’s orbit where Earth is moving faster than usual around the Sun, would the length of the solar day change? If so, how? Explain.arrow_forwardExplain the meaning of uniform circular motion. Give one example of such motion.arrow_forwardI. Directions: Complete the given table by finding the ratio of the planet's time of revolution to its radius. Average Radius of Orbit Times of Planet R3 T2 T?/R3 Revolution Mercury 5.7869 x 1010 7.605 x 106 Venus 1.081 x 1011 1.941 x 107 Earth 1.496 x 1011 3.156 x 107 1. What pattern do you observe in the last column of data? Which law of Kepler's does this seem to support? II. Solve the given problems. Write your solution on the space provided before each number. 1. You wish to put a 1000-kg satellite into a circular orbit 300 km above the earth's surface. Find the following: a) Speed b) Period c) Radial Acceleration Given: Unknown: Formula: Solution: Answer: Given: Unknown: Formula: Solution: Answer: Given: Unknown: Formula: Solution: Answer:arrow_forward
- Kepler's 1st law says that our Solar System's planets orbit in ellipses around the Sun where the closest distance to the Sun is called perihelion. Suppose I tell you that there is a planet with a perihelion distance of 2 AU and a semi-major axis of 1.5 AU. Does this make physical sense? Explain why or why not.arrow_forwardDo tides depend more on the strength of gravitational pull or on the difference in strengths?Explain.arrow_forwardDescribe uniform circular motion.arrow_forward
- Which of the following is true in our solar system? 1. The planets travel in a circular path, with the sun being in the very center. 2. The planets travel in an elliptical path, with the sun being in the very center. 3. The planets travel in an elliptical path, with the sun at one of the focus points. 4. The planets travel in a helical path, with the sun located along the central axis.arrow_forwardIs the Earth spherical or flat, and if it is spherical, prove this by using mathematical equations that include this proofarrow_forwardThe average Earth-Moon distance is 3.84 X 10^5 km, while the Earth-Sun is 1.496 X 10^8 km. Since the radius of the Moon is 1.74 X 10^3 km and that of the Sun is 6.96 X 10^5 km. a) Calculate the angular radius of the Moon and the Sun, qmax, according to the following figure. D Bax R b) Calculate the solid angle of the Moon and the Sun as seen from Earth. (c) Interpret its results; Would this be enough to explain the occurrence of total solar eclipses?arrow_forward
- It is estimated that the mass of the earth is 5.98 x 1024 kg; its mean radius is 6.38 x 106 m. Find its density in gm/cm³ and lbm/ft³. Compare this value to the density of water (62. 4 lbm/ft³).arrow_forwardIt takes 23 hours 56 minutes and 4 seconds for the earth to make one revolution (mean sidereal day). What is the angular speed of the earth? Submit Answer Tries 0/12 Assume the earth is spherical. Relative to someone on the rotation axis, what is the linear speed of an object on the surface if the radius vector from the center of the earth to the object makes an angle of 61.0° with the axis of rotation. The radius of the earth is 6.37×103 km. Submit Answer Tries 0/12 What is the acceleration of the object on the surface of the earth in the previous problem? Submit Answer Tries 0/12arrow_forwardDefine/explain Vertical Circular Motion.arrow_forward
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